Exercising machine



June 24 1924. Y

'. J. B. ALLEN EXERCISING MACHINE 'Filed Nov. 21. 192) nvm/rok. J B ALLEN Patented June 24, 1924.

MMWR@ S'EATS JAMES B. ALLEN, 0F BRIGHTON, COLORALD.`

EXERCISING MACHINE.

Application filealnovemb'er 21, 1921.

To all whoml z'tmay/ concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. ALLEN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at. Brighton, in the county of Adams and.

State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exercising Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to exercising machines and its main object isto provide a mechanism of simple and practical construction for exercising the limbs and other parts of the human body in treating paralytic afllictions and other ailments of similar nature.

Another object of the invention is to provide in connection with apparatus of the above described character, an electric appliance to subject the afflicted part or parts Yof the body to` the stimulating effect of a current of electricity; further objects are to provide means for generating the electric current by the. operation of the machine, and to connect in the circuit of the generator, a variable' resistance tol regulate the current strength, and a switch to selectively connect different conductiveparts ofthe machine in the circuit; and still other' objects reside in details of construction and a novel arrangement ofV parts, all of which will fully appear in the course ofthe following description taken in connection' with the accompanying drawing.

By the use of my invention any part of the body may be developed and strengthened either by power exerted by the patientV or through the medium of a suitable source of mechanical energy, and invalids who have partially lost the power to move or control the movement of their limbs, as well as those who are completely incapacitated, may be beneficially treated by exercise and electricity, the application of both of which is under full control of the operator.

In the drawings in the various views of which, likeparts are similarly designated,

Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved exercisingy machine;

Figure 2, an end elevation looking in the direction of theA arrow A, Figure l, the hand grips forming part of the operating mechanism, having been shown in section; and

Figure 3, a diagrammatic representation Serial No. 516,800.

of the electric; circuits and1 connections ineluded inthe invention. n

Referring to' the. drawin s, the' numeral designates a support pre' erably madek in the form of an upholstered four-legged stool ofstrong and s olid construction.

A frame 3 projecting Jforwardly of the stool and rigidly connected. with the legs thereof, has bearings for the support of the fulcrum pin ofan up and downwardly extending lever 4.

The lever is preferablycomposed ofltwo connected metal bars, the lower'portions of' which, converge'and extend: outwardly at' their extremities for the support of pedals l or foot 'rests 5. y

The pedals are designed to Vsupport the. feet ofa patient seated on thestool andk they are movably connectedwith the later-l ally projecting ends ofl the lever' b;Y means of loops 6 ofleather, rubber, ,or ot er flex# ible and non-conducting material.

Straps and heel rests on' the pedals,` are provided to hold the' feet of thel operatorl in place thereon and the *loopsl Gf serve'to' resiliently mount the pedals on the' lever, aswell as to insula4 them from the conductive parts thereof.

Transverse `hand-grips7- at the upper end of the lever, are intended: to be graspedby an operator occupying the seat and they are composed of cylindrical cores of" insulating material ri idly attachedV atv opposite ends of the devel1 by a bo'lt 8, and sleeves of metal or other'y conductive substance, which are fitted on the cores in spaced relation to the lever.

The lever is. positioned relative to the stool so that a person seated thereon may comfortably impart an oscillatingmovement to the lever by means o'feither the hands or the feet engaging with the grips or the pedals. i y

Arranged between the legs ofthe stool, beneath the seat, is a frame9 for the support of the operating'mechanism of the machine. The mechanism comprises a crank shaft l0, a cranlry of which isv connected with the lever by abar l2.

The shaft carriesa gear wheel 13 which meshes with a pinion 14 on a second shaft l5 provided with av combinedV pulley and balance wheel 16. The two shafts are rotatably supported one above the other in boxes fastened upon parallel members of the frame.

Mounted upon a part of a base frame 17 extending rearwardly ofthe stool in rigid connection with the legs thereof, is a small generator of electricity 18 such as a magneto, the rotor of which is connected with the pulley on the shaft by means of a belt 19. v

The base frame which rests on the floor at opposite sides of the stool, furthermore supports an electric motor 20, the rotor of which has a pulley for its driving connection with the pulley 16 through the medium of a second belt 21. A four point switch 22 on the lever is connected in a circuit with the generator of electricity and a variable resistance 23 included in the circuit, provides convenient means for varying the strength of the current as it passes through the switch. n

rlhe switchvmay be of any conventional design to transfer the current flow between the hand grips and the pedals with which its terminals are connected by means of conn ductors 24.

ln the construction shown inY the drawings, the connections are made by plugs at the ends of the conductors, that are inserted in the sockets of the parts. lt will be understood without further illustration that one or moreofthe conductors may be connected to conductive plates or other electrodes for applying the current to parts of the body of a patient, other than the limbs.

ln the operation of my invention, a pa tient seated on the stool, imparts an oscillating movement to the lever by means of the arms or the legs and thereby gradually de velops and strengthens' any limb which by motor paralysis or other similar disease, was deprived of its natural functions.

rlhe movement of the limbs in unison with that of the oscillating lever, furthermore gives activity to any internal organs which may be in an abnormal condition, and in general, strengthens and develops every mus cle and organ of the body.

lf the condition of the patient is such that he can not exert the power required to oper-- ate the lever, the latter is moved through the medium of the motor until the invalid has regained suflicient strength to operate the machine by his own effort.

During the operation of the machine, a current of electricity of readily regulated strength is transmitted from the generator to the afflicted parts, it being understood that by means of the switch, 'the current may be transferred from any part ofthe body to another'. l

lt will be evident that the machine, as shown and described, is not only of use in restoring the health of invalide, but is also of benefit to persons whose sedentary occu incassa pations prevent them from taking suflicient exercise to maintain a normal physical con dition.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent is:

1. ln an exercising machine, the combination with a support, of an oscillatory lever, hand grips and foot rests at opposite ends thereof, a source of electricity, and means for connecting the hand grips and the foot rests in circuit with said source.

2. ln an exercising machine, the combina tion with a support, of an oscillatory lever, hand grips and foot rests at opposite ends thereof, a source of electricity, and means for selectively connecting the hand grips and the foot rests in circuit with said source.

ln an exercising machine, the combination with a support, of an oscillatory lever, hand grips and foot rests at opposite ends thereof, a source of electricity, means for connecting said hand grips and foot rests in circuit with said source, and a switch adapted to adjust said connections for excluding any one of the parts from the circuit.

4l. ln an exercising machine, the combination with a support, of an oscillatory lever, hand grips and foot rests at opposite ends thereof, a source of electricity, means for connecting the hand grips and foot res s in circuit with said source, and a variable resistance in the circuit.

5. ln an exercising machine, the combination with a support, of an oscillatory lever, hand grips and foot rests at opposite ends thereof, a rotary shaft in operative connecVN tion with the lever, a generator of electricity, and means for the operation of the generator by movement of the shaft.

6. ln an exercising machine, the combina tion with a support, of an oscillatory lever, hand grips and foot rests at opposite ends thereof, a generator of electricity, means for operating the generator by movement of the leve-r, and means for conducting electric current produced by the generator to the hand grips and the foot rests.

7. ln an exercising machine, the combination Vwith a support, of an oscillatory lever, hand grips and foot rests at opposite ends thereof, a generator of electricity, means for operating the generator by movement of the lever, and means for conducting electric curerent produced by the generator to the body of the operator of the lever.

8. ln an exercising machine, the combina tion of a seat, an oscillatory lever, having members to engage with limbs of a person occupying the seat, a motor in driving connection with the lever, a generator of electricity, means to operate the generator during movement of the lever, and means for transmitting electric current produced in the generator, to the body of the person,

9. In an exercising machine, the combination of a seat7 an oscillating lever having parts for engagement with limbs of a person occupying the seat, a rotary shaft in opera- 5 tive connection with the lever, a balance Wheel on the shaft, a motor in driving connection with the shaft, a generator of electricity having a driven connection with the shaft, and means for transmitting electric current produced in the generator, to the body of the person.

In testimony whereof I have affixed mv signature.

JAMES B. ALLEN. 

